goodwin



(No Model.)

,J. B. GOODWIN.

FOLDING AND SWINGING GATE FOR. RAILWAY CARS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Urrrcn.

JOHN B. GOODWIN, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM I. GOODWIN, OF SAME FLAG-E.

FOLDING AND SWlNGlNG GATE FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

fiPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,284, dated August 30, 1887.

Application filed April 13, 1887.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. GOODWIN, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding and Swinging Gates for Railway-Oars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a collapsible gate or guard adapted to be shut or folded up on itself, and which in the folded condition may be swung aside conveniently out of the way.

My invention particularly relates to a folding gate constructed with an overhead track for a rolling hanger to run on, and the gate is in part swung from the hanger and supported thereby.

As these gates have to be constantly swung aside after being folded, there is necessarily much strain upon the swinging parts, which are thereby liable to become rapidly deranged and thrown out of proper position, and to cause the swinging part of the track for the hanger to be displaced or moved out ofits true position.

These gates are necessarily much exposed, particularly when used upon railway-cars, and the dirt and dying einders become lodged and accumulated in considerable quantities upon the different working parts of the gate and impede the smooth and easy operations of the same. It is therefore very desirable to protect the moving parts of these gates from the accumulation of dust and dirt in order to better insure a free operation of the parts.

One object of my invention is to constructthe swinging part of the track for the hanger of the gate so that the track may always remain in true and proper position and will be prevented from sagging.

Another object of my invention is to make the connection between the hanger and the gate adjustable, so that the gate may be raised or lowered.

Another object of my invention is to provide a latch for the swinging part or bracket, whereby the some may be locked to the framing in which the gate is mounted in secure operative position.

Another object of my invention is to con- Scrial No. 234,586. (No model.)

struct the track for the rolling hanger with a housing to protect the same from the weather and prevent the dust and dirt from accumulating thereon.

To the above purposes my invention consists, essentially, in constructing the swinging bracket with a horizontal flange which overlaps and slides upon a horizontal extension or shelf arranged upon the framing, and in inclosing or housing the track of the rolling hanger so as to leave a single opening in the housing for the hanger to project through.

Further, my invention consists in the ad justable coupling between the hanger and the connecting-rod of the gate, and in the peculiarlyconstructed swinging bracket and the latch secured upon the horizontal extension of the framing and engaging the horizontal flange of the bracket, and also in the peculiar manner of hinging the upper part of the bracket to the hinge-bar, all constructed and arranged as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 represents a portion of the end of an ordinary railway car or coach upon the platform of which is shown mounted a folding and swinging gate or guard embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 represents an enlarged View of a portion of the folding gate and the supportirig-framing which is arranged within the hood of the car shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents the upper portion of the view in Fig. 2, the same having a front section of the framing removed in order to show in full the rolling hanger and the construction of the swinging bracket. Fig. 4 represents a horizontal sectional view taken through the framing j nst above the rolling hanger, and shows the hangeras resting on the track carried by the swinging bracket. The view also shows the guide and spring for the swinging bracket when the same is swung aside. Figs. 5 and 6 represent, respectively, opposite end views of the upper portion of Fig. Fig. 7 represents a sectional view taken on line 7 7 in Fig. 4c.

In the said drawings like numbers of reference designate corresponding parts through out.

Referring to the drawings, the number 9 designates the body of an ordinary railway car or coach, upon the platform of which is arranged the collapsible and swinging gate 11, which is adapted to swing across the side entrance to the platform and parallel with the side of the car'and to close the entrance, as shown in Fig. 1.

The folding gate 11 is composed of the vertical rods 12, which are set parallel in the pair of lazy-tong projectors 13, which are mounted upon the turnable hinge-bar 14 and extend horizontally across the entrance of the platform 10. The foot of the hinge-bar 14 turns in a socket, 15, which is sunk in the platform 10, while the upper end of the hinge-bar is journaled in a manner hereinafter described.

The end of the gate remote from the hingebar is supported by the connecting-rod 16, which depends from the rolling hanger,which travels upon an overhead track, which is in part hinged so that said part may be swung aside with the hanger supported thereon. v

The general constructions of the foregoing class of gates.

The rolling hanger 17 is of an ordinary form, being a small truck with wheels 18 mounted thereon and having anti-friction rollers 19 placed upon the truck. The hanger depends between the wheels of the truck and is broadened out into a flat plate-like body. The wheels 18 travel on a track, 20, which in the main is secured rigidly to the frame 22 of the car, and a part of the hanger projects through the opening 21 of the track. The framing 22 is fixed securely within the hood of the car and is suitably bolted together.

The swinging bracket 23 is attached to the turnable hinge-bar 14 and turns therewith. This bracket is made sufficiently long to support a suflicient section of the track 20 to receive the rolling hanger thereupon, so that it may be swung aside and carry the hanger with it. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, this bracket is cut diagonally in the vertical plane, and, as shown by Figs. 5 and 7, the bracket is formed with a shoulder, 24, to receive the framing 22. Withthisarrangement,whentherollinghanger is placed in the position shown by the figures the hanger will be supported entirely by the track 20 of the bracket 23, so that the bracket may be swung through a quadrant and carry the hanger and attached gate therewith.

In order to give more stability to the operations of the bracket and to keep the same in vertical adjustment, so that the swinging part of the track may be maintained always in the same plane with the fixed part, I have formed upon the bracket 23 the horizontal flange 25, which projects from an upward extension of the bracket, so as to overlap the fixed horizontal extension or shelf 26, arranged upon the framing 22. The upper end of the hinge-bar 14 extends up through the extension or shelf 26 and loosely through the flange 25, so that the flange may turn freely about the same in a horizontal plane. The flange 25 slides over the upper face of the shelf 26 when the bracket. and flange together turn on the hinge-bar, in an obvious manner, the relative movement being something like a pivoted knife-blade and its handle.

Just above the upper face of the extension or shelf 26 is formed the horizontal opening 27 in the framing 22. This opening is designed to allow the dirt or cinders to fall through when the bracket 23 is moved into closed position and the flange slides over the extension 26 in close contact with the same, thereby dislodging from the shelf 26 any previously-ad cumulated dirt and forcing the same out of the opening 27..

In the upper face of the extension or shelf 26 is set a small fixed lug or projection, 28, havinga rounded head which sets up a little above the face of the shelf and co-operates with the corresponding depression, 29, formed in the under face of the flange 25, to form a suitable latch for locking the flange when closed on the shelf. (See Figs. 2, 3, and 7.)

The lower part of the hanger 23 is enlarged and is formed with a screw-threaded socket, 30, into which works the screw-threaded shank of the adjustable coupling 31, the lower end of which is joined to the connecting-rod 16 by means of a knuckle-joint, 32, which may be readily taken apart when it is desired to turn the adjustable coupling 31 to lengthen or shorten the distance between the hanger and the gate, so as to lower or raise the latter.

The guide 33 is a curved bar fixed within thehood of the car, and is provided with the spring 34, which is engaged by the anti-friction roller 19 of the hanger when the gate is swung either way through the quadrant when folded up.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that by virtue of my improvements the swinging part of the hanger-track has a very limited play, so that the same is always kept in the same plane with the fixed portion of track, and that the entire track is completely .housed when the gate is opened out, as shown in Fig. 1, with the exception of the opening 21 for the passage of the hanger.

There may be various modifications made in the several parts of my improved gate without, however, making a substantial departure from the spirit of the invention as herein described and claimed.

Having thus described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-=- 1. In a folding and swinging gate, the combination, as hereinbefore set forth, with atraveling hanger supporting the gate and a track for the hanger, of aswinging bracket provided with a portion of the hanger-track sufficient to receive the hanger and swing the same aside, and means for supporting the bracket, substantially as herein described.

2. In a folding and swinging gate, the combination, as hereinbefore set forth, with a framing provided with a catch, of a swinging bracket having a support and provided with a portion of the hanger-track and adapted to engage with the catch on the frame and to lock therewith, substantially as herein described.

3. In a folding and swinging gate, the corn bination, as hereinbefore set forth, with the framing provided with a horizontal extension or shelf, of a swinging bracket having a support and provided with sufhcient of the track for the hanger to receive and support the same, and asupport-flange mounted upon the bracket and sliding over the extension or shelf of the frame for securely supporting the bracket, substantially as herein described.

4. In a folding and swinging gate, the corn bination, as hereinbefore set forth, with the framing provided with a horizontal extension or shelf and formed with a horizontal slot about on the plane therewith, of a swinging bracket having a support and provided with a track sufficient to receive and support the traveling hanger for the gate, and a support-flange projecting horizontally from the bracket and sliding over the upper face of the extension or shelf, substantially as herein described.

5. In afolding and swinging gate, the combination, as hereinbefore set forth, with the framing provided with a horizontal extension or shelf, of a turnable hinge-bar, a folding gate mounted upon the hinge-bar, a rolling hanger connected with the gate,and a suitablysupported track for the hanger to travel on, a bracket secured upon the hinge-bar and provided with a suflicient portion of the track to receive the hanger, a horizontal flange extending from the bracket and adapted to slide over the upper face of said extension or shelf, and the hinge-bar extending through the extension or shelf and the flange, substantially as herein described.

6. In a folding gate, the combination, as herein'before set forth, with a rolling hanger and a track therefor, of the gate, and an adjustable connection between the hanger and gate for raising or lowering the gate, substantially as herein described.

7. The combination, with the hinge-bar 14 and the framing 22, provided with the horizontal extension or shelf 26, of the swinging bracket 23, mounted upon the hinge-bar and provided with the horizontal flange 25, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

8. The combination, with the framing 22, provided with the housed track 20, of the hinge bar 14:, and the bracket 28, secured thereto and provided with the track-section, the rolling hanger traveling on the track, and the folding gate depending therefrom, sub stantially as herein described.

JOHN B. GOODYVIN. lVitnesses:

J. A. MILLER, J r., M. F. BLIGH. 

